Rail-anchor.



E. LAAS.

RAIL ANCHOR.

APPLICATON FILED lULY17.-1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1. LIME- RAIL ANCHOR.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 17. I916.

Patented. Apr. 9,1918. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I, IINVLN TOR. 7" t I A TTORNE m E.LAA& RAIL ANCHOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17 I916.

l fi fimo Patented Apr. 9,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- INVENTOR c of the invention.

' r are.

EDWARD LAAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO OTTO B. BARNETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-ANCHOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented APLQ, 1918.

Application filedluly 17, 1916. Serial No. 109,669.

.of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Anchors, of, which the following 1s a specification.

My invention relates to a rail anchor, that is, to a device for preventing the longitudinal creep of a railroad rail, and more particularly to a rail anchor of the type depending forlits hold on the rail upon a wedging engagement between the parts of the device. In a device of this character itis essential to maintain a close wedging relationship between the parts. Any looseness destroys the effectiveness of the device. Under conditions created by the passage of trains over the track or by changes of temperature or other causes, forces are brought into play the tendency of which isto loosen the wedging relation. between the parts. of the device. likely to bring this about. When the rail contracts with a fall in temperature, it may tend to pull one member of the device with stresses of the wheels of the train. All of these forces tend, in one way or another, to

loosen one wedge member from the other so that they are a constant menace to the continued efiectiveness of an anti-creeping device of the wedge type. V

The principal object of my invention is to provide a rail anchor which will becapablc of resisting these disturbing influences and which will, therefore, maintain its hold on the rail under all conditions.

The invention has for a further object to provide a rail anchor which will be light in weight, inexpensive to manufacture and which can be easily applied to the rail.

The invention is illustrated, in certain preferred embodiments, in the accompanying drawings'wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts in section, of a rail anchor embodying one form The vibration of the rail is Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1. i V Fig. 3 is a View, in perspective, of the wedge member of the anchor.

Fig. 4c is a similar view of the spring locking key.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modification.

Fig. 6 is a similar View illustrating another modification.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a somewhat different embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a sectional View on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. I

Fig. 9 is a view, in perspective, of the wedge member employed in the anchorv shown in the preceding. two figures, and

Fig. 10 is a similar View of the locking key.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to a inclusive, A indicates a railroad rail and B one of the cross ties on which the rail is supported. The'anchor consists ofarrail embracing member 25, a wedge member 26, and a spring locking key 27. In this embodiment of the invention the rail embracing mernher is formed'with a foot orflange 28 adapted to bear against the face of tie B. This part of the ClGVlCB'lS referred to as a tie abutting member but it will be understood that the device might be arranged to bear at the other end with a larger jaw 30 ad'apted to receive the wedge 26. The latter is formed with a small recess 31, a larger recess 32 and a connecting groove 33'. The spring with a right angle offset 34 adapted to fit into recess 31 of the wedgaand the other end being bent into a substantially spiral curve 35 adapted to enter the recess 3:2 of the key, the intervening part of the key lying in groove 33 when the. device'is applied to the rail. The configuration of the key' is preferably such that it assumesthe' position indicated by the dotted lines-in Fig. 1 when it is first placed in the wedge, that is,'before the wedge is driven into jaw 30. By driving the wedge into jaw 30 the spring key is locking key is formed at one end rail base.

' bent and the curved part 35 is compressed,

the wedging relation between theparts of the anchor and the railis rigid and positive, that 18 to say, the hold of the device onthe rail as against the forward creeping stresses,

is not dependent on the strengthor stilt ness of the spring.

It will be apparent that the relationship of the parts might be varied without departure from the principles of the invention, and two such possible modifications are indicated in Figs. 5 and 6.

In Fig. 5 the spring key 36 is arrangedbe-- tween the wedge'37 and jaw 38 ot' the rail embracing member '39, the wedge being suitably recessed on the edge. adjacent the inner face of the aw as indicated at 40.

In the arrangement. shown in Fig. 6, the jaw 41 of the rail embracing member 4-2 is formed with recesses 43, a4 and groove 45 to'receive the locking key 46 which bears and exertsits spring pressure against the adjacent edge of the wedge 47.

A somewhat different embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive. The wedge 48 is formed with a notch or re- 1CQSS 49 to receive the ofifset 50 formed on the locking key 51, the. other extremity of which is bent, as indicated at 52, so that it bears against and bites into the edge of the In the rail. anchor shown in Figs. 1 .to 5 inclusive, and 7 to 10 inclusive, the spring locking key is linked to thev wedge member Y so that when the wedge is driven in place the key will follow. Moreover, the key cannot retreat from its operative position so long as the key maintains its hold on the rail or on the yoke member ofthe anchor. The arrangement of the locking key with an oifset whioh'fits into a recess in the key is advan- 'tageous because as the offset cannot bend there is little likelihood'ot its being sheared or broken ofi when; the, key is driven into "place with the wedge. 'In Fig. 6 the key and free to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail whereby said locking device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

2. A rail anchor comprising rail engaging elements having a'wedging relation, one of which is provided with a tie abutting member and one of which is formed with a recess, and a spring locking devlce provided at one ex'remity with an offset to fit into said recess, the other extremity of which is curved outwardly and free to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail where by said lockin -device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with'the rail. H I

3. A rail anchor comprising rail engaging which is provided with a tie abutting member, and a sprmg locking'device which is 7 '80 elements having a wedging relat1on,one 0t anchored at one extremity as against movement in either direction to one of said elements, the other extremity of which has a; substantially spiral configuration andis adapted to be contracted by application of the anchor to the rail whereby said lockingi device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with therail.

4. A rail anchor comprising rail engaging elements having a wedging relation, one of which is provided with a tie'abutting member, and aspring locking devi'cewhich is anchored at one extremity as against movement in eitherdirection to'one of said elements, the other extremity of which is curved and bears with its convex side upon the rail and is free to be strained by appli= cation of the anchor to the rail whereby said locking device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail. i

5. A rail anchor comprising rail engaging element-shaving a wedgingrelation, one of which is provided with a. tie abutting'member and one of which elements is formed with a recess, and a spring locking'device anchored at one end to one of said members and curving outwardly therefrom and adapted to lie in said recess and arranged so as to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail whereby said locking device maintains the parts 015 the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

6.2a rail anchorcomprising rail engaging elements having a wedging relation, one of Y anchored at one end to oneof said members,

the other end being; substantially in the form of a spiral'curve and ly ng in said recess and being arranged so as .to be contracted by application of the anchor tothe rail. 7

7..A rail anchor comprlsing rail engaging elements having a wedging relation, one of which is provided with a tie abutting memher and one of which elements is formed with two recesses andra connecting groove, and a spring locking device formed at one end with an oifset adapted to extend into one of said recesses and a curved portion adapted'to lie in the other recess, with the intervening part lying in said connecting groove, said device being arranged so as to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail whereby it'maintain's the parts of the anchor in proper lwedging relation with the rail. v

85A rail anchor comprising rail engaging elements having a wedging relation, one of which is provided with a tie abutting member, and one of which elements is formed with two recesses and a connecting groove, and a spring-locking device formed at one end with an ofiset adapted to extend into one of said recesses, the other end being in the form of a spiral curve adapted to lie in the other recess, said device being arranged so as to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby it maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

9. A rail anchor comprising a rail embracing member formed with a tie abutting toot, a wedge member which intervenes between the base flange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, and a spring-locking device which is anchored at one extremity, as against movement in either direction, to one of said members, the other extremity of which is provided with a smooth engaging surface and is free to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby said locking device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

10. A rail anchor comprising a rail embracing member formed with a tic'abutting foot. a wedge member which intervenes between the base flange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, one of said members being formed with a recess, and a spring-locking device provided at one extremity withan offset to fit into said recess and being curved to present a convex surface directed outwardly from said recess and free to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby said locking device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

11. A rail anchor comprising a rail embracing member formed with a tie abutting foot, a wedge member which intervenes between the base fiange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, and a springlocking device which is anchored at one extremity, as against movement in either direction, to one of said members, the other extremity of which has a substantially spiral configuration and is adapted to be contracted by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby said device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedgingv relation with the rail.

12. A rail anchor comprising a rail embracing member formed with a tie abutting foot, a wedge member which intervenes between the base flange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, and a springlocking device which is anchoredat-one ex tremity, as against movement in either :di f rection, to one otsaid I'nembers, thev other extremity of which is curved and beans with it's curved side upon the rail and is free to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby-said locking device main- -t'a'in's the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

13. A rail anchor comprising a rail embracing member formed with a tie abutting foot, a wedge member which intervenes between the base flange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, one of said members being formed with a recess, and a spring-locking device anchored at one end to said member, the other end being curved and adapted to lie in said recess with its convex side outward and arranged so as to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby said locking device maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

14. A rail anchor comprising a rail embracing member formed with a tie abutting foot, a wedge member which intervenes between the base flange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, one of said members being formed with a recess, and a spring-locking device anchored at one end to said member, the other end being substantially in the form of a spiral curve and lying in said recess and being arranged so as to be contracted by application of the anchor to the rail.

15. A rail anchor comprising a rail embracing member formed with a tie abutting 110 foot, a wedge member which intervenes between the base fiange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, one of said members being formed with two recesses and a connecting groove, and a spiral locking 115 device formed at one end with an oiiset adapted to extend into one of said recesses, and a curved portion adapted to lie in the other recess with the intervening part lying in said connecting groove, said device being 120 arranged so as to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby it maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relation with the rail.

16. A rail anchor comprising a rail em- 125 bracing member formed with a tie abutting foot, a wedge member which intervenes between the base fiange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, one of said members being formed with two recesses and 130 a connecting groove, and a spiral locking device formed at one end with an oflset adapted to extend into one of said recesses, the other end being in the form of a spiral curve adapted to lie in the other recess, said device being arranged so as to be strained by application of the anchor to the rail, whereby it maintains the parts of the anchor in proper wedging relatlon Withthe rail. 7

17 A rail anchor comprising a rail embraclng member formed with a tie abutting foot, a Wedge member which intervenes between the base flange of the rail and one end of the rail embracing member, thewedge being formed in one edge with two recesses and a connecting groovegand a spring-locking device having an offset adapted to extend into one of said recesses and a curved portion at the other end thereof adapted to lie in the other recess, the intervening portion extending through said connecting groove whereby said device is put under bending strain when the anchor is applied to a rail. EDWARD LAAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

